Swdenborg's  Ennead of Religion
 
 

1/2/3 = {Spiritual Development} successive degrees

A1-3 / C 3-1 / P 3-1 = Simultaneous Degrees (Externalization of Life)

P2 / C2 / A2 = (Internalization of Truth)

+C1    The endeavor to obtain that which one considers would make one happy-- the American dream is to attempt the insane task of  building a  tower that will reach to heaven (Gen. 11:4, Hyatt p.221 FS.)

+C2    To be really happy is to read heaven. (Hyatt 222)

+C2    "Unless there were the word (Divine Revel.) no one would know God, Heaven, a Hell, & a life a life after death, & still learn the Lord." (TCR 273)

+C2    Only religion can tell us what it is to be really happy ("really happy" = "heaven" = "spiritual idea")

-C1    What I love, that is good.

-A1    I'm in the endeavor to subdue others to my will.

+C1     When all give up their own will forth way that God's will be done, then each can have happiness.

-P1    To act from one's own will, & what seems good to one.

+P1    To do that which I compel myself to do for the will of God's will.

+C2    All the truth & good I have, or anyone has comes from God, hence, is God's while we have none from ourselves.

+C2    Acting from self is evil: from evil, about evil & for the sake of evil. (evil = what is destructive of good)

[e.g. unfairness, depression, delusion, competitiveness, lust, stupidity, stubbornness, resistance]

+P2    Daily study or orientation or involvement with Holy Scriptures (Divine revelations -- external in part of truth) qua Holy, i.e. communication with God through prayers from Holy Scriptures & reflection (study) upon their meaning.

+P2    Acting from a religious motive e.g. [love of neighbor][ as commandment][externalize,][as altruism & honesty.]

+A2    Feeling a desire to fulfill a commandment from a desire to please God.

+A3    Feeling influx, e.g. willing good while denying self & evil & thus being conscious that will is as-of-self will, entirely God's & none of it is ours!

-A3    Feeling influx & doubting the whole thing. ("Maybe I'm making up all of this")

+A1 = social conscious (from conditioning)

+A2 = moral conscious (justice from humanity)

+A3 = religious conscious (charity from lord)
 

REL 1